SMS Bayern
Bayern, probably during her internment at Scapa Flow
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| History | |
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 German Empire
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| Name: | SMS Bayern |
| Namesake: | Bavaria, then a kingdom within the German Empire |
| Builder: | Howaldtswerke, Kiel |
| Laid down: | 20 August 1913 |
| Launched: | 18 February 1915 |
| Commissioned: | 15 July 1916 |
| Fate: |
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| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Bayern-class battleship |
| Displacement: | 32,200 t (31,700 long tons) |
| Length: | 180 m (590 ft 7 in) |
| Beam: | 30 m (98 ft 5 in) |
| Draft: | 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in) |
| Propulsion: | 3 × Parsons steam turbines, three shafts, 55,202 shp (41,164 kW) |
| Speed: | 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) |
| Range: | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
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SMS Bayern was the lead ship of the Bayern class of battleships in the German Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy). The vessel was launched in February 1915 and entered service in July 1916, too late to take part in the Battle of Jutland. Her main armament consisted of eight 38 cm (15 in) guns in four turrets, which was a significant improvement over the preceding König's ten 30.5 cm (12 inch) guns. The ship was to have formed the nucleus for a fourth battle squadron in the High Seas Fleet, along with three of her sister ships. Of the other ships only one—Baden—was completed; the other two were canceled later in the war when production requirements shifted to U-boat construction.
Bayern was commissioned midway through the war, and had a limited service career. The first operation in which the ship took part was an abortive fleet advance into the North Sea on 18–19 August 1916, a month after she had been commissioned. The ship also participated in Operation Albion in the Gulf of Riga, but shortly after the German attack began on 12 October 1917, Bayern was mined and had to be withdrawn for repairs. She was interned with the majority of the High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow in November 1918 following the end of World War I. On 21 June 1919, Admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered the fleet to be scuttled; Bayern sank at 14:30. In September 1934, the ship was raised, towed to Rosyth, and scrapped.
Bayern was 179.4 m (588 ft 7 in) long at the waterline, and an even 180 m (590 ft 7 in) long overall. She had a beam of 30 m (98 ft 5 in) and a draft of 9.3–9.4 m (30 ft 6 in–30 ft 10 in) Bayern displaced 28,530 metric tons (28,080 long tons) at a normal displacement; at full combat load, she displaced up to 32,200 t (31,700 long tons). Bayern was powered by three Parsons steam turbines rated at 34,521 shaft horsepower (25,742 kW) and three oil-fired and eleven coal-fired Schulz-Thornycroft boilers, and on trials achieved 55,202 shaft horsepower (41,164 kW); she had a maximum speed of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph). The ship could carry up to 3,400 t (3,300 long tons; 3,700 short tons) of coal and 620 t (610 long tons; 680 short tons) of fuel oil, which provided a maximum range of 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at a cruising speed of 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph).
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